The popularity of the Linux operating system on desktop PCs is growing, and according to the latest data from Statcounter, it already occupies 4.45% of the market. This comes amid a decline in Windows share, which has fallen from 90% to 72% over the past 10 years. The OS X family holds second place with a share of 14.92%.

 

The growing interest in Linux is related to its flexibility and the possibility of modernization according to specific tasks. Openness and community support make the system attractive for both PC and mobile platforms. Also, Linux is used in SteamOS for the popular Steam Deck portable console, which contributes to its spread among gamers.

 

Windows, on the other hand, is losing popularity due to hardware limitations of newer versions that are not supported on older hardware. MacOS, being tied to an expensive platform, leaves Linux as the main alternative for users looking for an affordable and functional solution. It is predicted that in 2025, Linux may occupy 5% of the market.

 

In 2023, the Linux system for the first time broke the 3% PC install mark. The total share of all installed distributions constantly fluctuated around 1-2%. About 3.24% of all systems are running FreeBSD or an unknown operating system, which is most likely a very new or very old version of common OSes.